Saturday November 20/2021 6:00am can’t sleep! Been trying, but I just can’t seem to sleep. Clocks ticking, cats got a sugar rush on! Mind away with the fairies! Other half’s got the fidgets

I look at the better half and suggest the unexpected!!! No hey …. Stop thinking that.. nothing rude!! Shall we get sorted and head out with the cameras ? Not expecting the “sure let’s do it!” Reply .. wicked, that buzz kicks in!!

And Like a kid a Christmas, I spring from the bed before the ‘or should we just stay in bed kicks in’ a quick shower later … Coffee in hand camera bag on our backs, we head to the door.. yes obviously we got dressed too!

Now as the door opens that rush of cold air hits your face and you think am I really doing this .. but anyone who loves being a photographer will tell you .. we want to get back in bed ! No … not that at all!

We will do anything to get a great shot!

Now the destination we have planned to go is pretty local, about a thirty minute walk. a little more when it’s chilly and you haven’t had any sleep in 48 hours !

It’s a lovely part of a sea side town in Maldon Essex.. called ‘The Maldon Promenade’. It’s known for its boats, amazing sunrises, distant river views, shipwrecks and it’s many birds ! And a favourite place for me to frequent

A short stroll later, we enter the gates and cross the vast green fields to the sea wall.. sadly the tide is coming in, but it’s still a way out .. so first thoughts ‘I may not get the shots I would really like’.

But the smell that’s in the air is refreshing .. no again I bet you’re predicting the next line to be, the smell of the sea.. no actually it’s the smell of bacon. This location has food huts ! And they open early ! Bri & Debs best in the park! For food and drinks !

But that will have to wait we need to get some work done, then it’s time for hot food!

Okay back to the photography!

Our first port of call was to walk toward the shipwreck (karma) thats finding its resting place just off the river blackwater but close to the edge of the back main field of the promenade, this ship can be seen looking down from the bird watching tower or you can take a very slippery walk along the sea wall, me being a daredevil I took the slippery route!

It’s not hard to find the entrance to this part of the sea wall, as there is a loop that you can do of the promenade and if you take the gravel track walk you’ll soon find there is a little trail that bares left that takes you along the main sea wall towards Maryland sea .. a very long walk.. One I started at the beginning of Autumn. ‘Started but didn’t finish’

If you walk just a few steps into this trail you will see a walk way that takes you perfectly yet slip sliding towards the shipwreck.. (yes I did it Saturday) btw if you’re thinking of walking and trying this route.. don’t do it while the tides coming in unless you have your wit’s about you.. as water comes in round the back of you.

About fifteen feet round this ridge is the shipwreck and yes it’s the perfect photogenic subject ..

sadly the sun come up just before we got to our shipwreck destination .. but we didn’t miss anything as the sky was so cloudy and overcast there was no beautiful sunrise to be had.. to give this shipwreck the perfect pop, one I’ve captured so many time before.. but still I managed to get this shot below ..

The light was just starting to get change as I took this so this pointed us in the direction of the birds .. and soft light, I could tell this was going to be fun! This could take a little walking and me being quiet.. not something I’m said to be good at..

We started back toward the back field and a small area known as Delph Ditch. It’s a grassy and wooded area With small bird, moorhens, coots and the odd duck or two.

This is about the 100th time we have been here so we knew there was going to be a couple of things that could take our fancy.. there is a beautiful tree that stands tall above a small wooden bridge. We have aptly named the water lilies. You know like the monet painting.. take a look at the image below and even though it’s Autumn the only difference to me is the colours ! With the Autumn oranges and warm tones.

Here is where we crossed from the left of the image through and under the tree and crossed over ‘The trolls style bridge’ to the right hand side ..

As you cross this bridge you can look behind the tree and see what’s in the little stream that runs off about 40 ft into the distance.. there wasn’t much apart from a small Robin and he soon made a fly for it. So we started our climb back ..

This is where we met a little friend!

We had only walked about fifteen feet from the bridge when my partner told me to stop! And stay still.. and look slowly down to the right on the fence.. I didn’t see it at first but there stood a a stunning fluffed up Robin.. it soon become apparent that she wasn’t alone. ( no I don’t mean because we was there 😄 )

There was a family of robins and they was super friendly .. bobbing from the fence a few feet over to the shrubs and then back to the fence.. each time it come to land on the fence it got closer and closer to us and the camera that was resting on the top of the fence post.

Now I’ve been close to a few birds in my time… yes the feathered kind.. but never been close to a Robin. The longer we stayed the closer she was getting. Every time she landed, I would try to snap some shots off .. then refocus when she landed on the shrubs . Back and forth.. until she was that close just an inch from the tip of my lens … I think she was showing off to us and so was mr Robin he wouldn’t get as close but still within a couple of feet.

I think you can tell with the images that I’ve managed to capture how close these beautiful bird got to the camera .. very happy with this set of images .. images below 👇

Now time was getting away, we had been here for about 3 hours and Mr piggy was calling ! No not a pig I could take photos of. More the bacon roll I hit upon earlier.. so off we trotted to the kiosk and got a hot chocolate and a bacon roll to take away.. this is where things to yet another odd turn of events .

Just call be bird man!

To get to Bri n Debs kiosk from where we was capturing the Robin it’s about a five minute walk along the sea wall back towards the main lake .. again time may very depending on energy level .. mine at this time well over 48 hours with out sleep.. it took a little while longer ! But while taking this slow stroll, We come across a sign that tell you what birds to expect to see walking around the Promenade!

While my partner walked over and ordered our mid morning bacon roll I stood reading the sign!

And seeing if I could see many of the birds on the list, Now just so you know I’m literally standing twelve inches from the sign. And nearly get landed on by two starlings .. trying to land on said sign.. right infront of me. First thought ‘the birds here are blooming friendly ! ‘

Tap on shoulder and the good lady has returned from the kiosk with breakfast! I managed to take my first bite look up and to my surprise there was five starlings now! Looking at me with the ‘I’m hungry give that bun to me look’

Honestly it was like a mini scene from the film ‘The birds’

If I moved left they did if I moved right they did.

Ping! Brain fart.. let’s see if they want some of this roll and maybe I can get a few images along the way .. not so surprising.. took a pea size nibble off the roll and the birds starting tweeting! Loudly ! Not sure if this was a give me tweet or not didn’t take long to find out it was more of a phone call to their friends and family.. because bird started landing from everywhere.

About 30 in total ! At one point or another I put my hand out and the bird furthest left on the sign takes of and nips it right out my fingers ! And fly’s away, I look down take another small piece off look up and the space that had the last bird I fed was taken, put hand out again the first in line took off pinched with piece of roll and took off !

By Now the line was pretty full ! about 10 bird on the sign and there was an audience of starlings on the sea wall.. and people watching me feeding out of hand these stunning birds … now to cut a long story short ! I’m not great with an audience! ‘Human audience that is’

So I take out the camera and real off a number of shots trying to capture a number of them as they all had something different about them from speckled chests to colourful bellies.. fat one skinny one!

The feeding wasn’t over ! Ended up feeding the masses with half my roll ! And having a field day with these beautiful starlings.

landing on my hand, flitting back and forth changing places. I managed to take a good thirty images maybe even more and my partner took a lot too.. these guys, honestly such beautiful birds.. people truly misjudge them and the way the work as a team their wasn’t any fighting stealing it was like a natural feeding line .. one after the other.

Here are a few of this shots so you can see what I mean !! Take a moment to look at the details on their body and the stunning ‘petrol on water’ colours in the blacks !

Sadly this was all the time we had as we needed to get back home, but we spent a good five hours at this location.. and we will definitely be returning here.. so keep those eyes open for more birds boats and landscape..

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